


A Few Connections in Seattle

by Foxmiscellania



Category: Persona 5, inFAMOUS: Second Son
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Crossover Infamous Second Son X Persona, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:48:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23488591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxmiscellania/pseuds/Foxmiscellania
Summary: “Won’t let me on his bus, won’t let me meet his friends…”The five times Delsin got to meet Reggie's friends, or Reggie has layers and one of them is being a former phantom thief.
Relationships: Delsin Rowe & Reggie Rowe, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Jester's steamed buns

“Won’t let me on his bus, won’t let me meet his friends…” Delsin complained, he saw Reggie’s head turn to him for a second, as he got scanned to head into Seattle. This is, of course, ten seconds before disaster as Delsin scanned his hand and the alarm went off.

A great start to their Seattle adventure.

Reggie held the door open for Delsin to go into the restaurant, they took a booth near the back. At least he would eat well while he was ‘laying low’. It was cozy filled movie posters, and one big central red one in the front with a white mask with a flame coming out of the eye.

“What movie is that?” Delsin pointed.

“I dunno man, figure out what you want to order.” Reggie snapped pulling up the menu and Delsin rolled his eyes. Grouch. Picking up the menu, he skimmed, there were a lot of weird recipes, most of them were movie themed. Or they had weird names like; Harrowing Macaroni, Sif’s Cookie Knife, Jester’s Steamed Buns, Octavia's tuna-less melt, and Traveler’s crumble.

“Seriously bro, I think I recognize that poster from somewhere.” He poked Reggie who pointedly ignored him. He’d seen it somewhere in the house or something. 

“That’s because it’s not a movie poster Nya~” Their waitress slid on heelys to their table. She was holding her hands up almost like cat paws near her face. A cheeky grin spread on her dark freckled face, a mass of curly hair pulled up and out of the way by a cat print handkerchief. She had an apron that had the same image as the poster that Delsin kept asking about on one of the pockets over a t-shirt and jeans. 

She smiled brightly at Reggie, he just stood up and started to walk away.

“What! No! please don’t! C’monnn Reggie!” she whined and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, steering him back to the table. Delsin stared incredulously and she winked at him. 

“Are you done?” his older brother asked and the woman looked up at the ceiling and then down at Delsin with a look that promised trouble.

“Nyo?” 

Reggie facepalmed and Delsin had the satisfaction of meeting probably the only person who could make Reggie do that other than himself.

“One you totally asked for it and two that was my last one. I’ve used up most of my material on Nonna today. I think they’re planning to riot. You want the mac?” She asked, poking his brother in the cheek.

“Actually I wanted a salad.” his brother sat back down.

“Lies and slander! You LOVE my mac! I named it after you!” Clearly this woman was meant for the theatre, she swooned dramatically, only pausing to open one eye. 

Delsin snorted, unable to the laughter at bay, Reggie reached up to rub his temples. “I’m Delsin.” he introduced.

“Maise, Nice to actually put a face to the name.” she reached out and Delsin took her hand. “So since your brother rudely interrupted.That’s the symbol of the Phantom Thieves. I’m surprised you’ve never seen it before. What with your brother and all.” 

Delsin leaned back and gave Reggie a bewildered look as his brother sighed, “Maise and I’ve known each other since high school. I come here when I have to come to Seattle to work, the food’s good. Even if the service is well...” he made a see saw motion with his hand.

“Anyways, anything interest you?” Maise asked after sticking her tongue out at Reggie and Delsin pointed at the Harrowing Mac “I’ll have that if my brother’s not going to have it. How is it named after him?”

“Cause it’s such a harrowing ordeal dealing with his no fun attitude.” She sighed dramatically and Reggie groaned.

“Alrighty is that conduit size, human size, senior size…” She trailed off and Reggie glared. 

“Conduit size?” Delsin asked and Maise nodded “Yeah since conduits need a higher caloric intake. Their healing ability? Needs more fuel than your brother or I, now you can supplement that with the element you need to absorb but in the long run food is safer and less likely to cause a power outage.”

“How do you know so much?” Delsin asked and for the first time Maise looked serious.

“I used to work as a genetics engineer. Remotely at first but then the DUP was no fun and pulled my lab’s funding. I still have most of my research. Though I never get to use it.”She explained and then paused and a grin split her face. 

“Hey you know if you're interested, I’m practically an expert. I’m always down to help.” She winked and he handed her his phone and she tapped her number into his phone with her name and a cowboy hat emote.

A few days later Delsin called Maise for a question on his mind. “Hey so what’s the difference between a prime conduit and a not prime conduit?” He asked, thinking further about a conversation he and his brother had while he was climbing the Space Needle. 

“ _ A prime is a conduit in their natural state. So for example you or Augustine, since both of you got your powers and they’re YOUR powers they make you stronger, your healing ability is stronger, and you absorb energy easier, et cetera. Prime Conduits also tend to run in families.  _

_ A non-prime conduit is the DUP’s ground troops. They might have become prime conduits if their powers hadn’t been overwritten by the concrete power, buuutt someone is an egomaniac, and all her troops have to have the same ability.” _ Maise explained, he could hear people in the background over the noise of chopping vegetables. 

“Wait how’d you know-” he stopped momentarily in his run, neon trails fading behind him. 

“ _ You’re not as stealthy as I think, you think, that you are. Like dude you were smoking and not the nicotine kind- just outside my cafe literally just before you came in the other day. You’re not like the phantom thieves, you’re not subtle.” _

“Thieves?” Where did that come from? He said as much.  


“ _ Yeah the Phantom Thieves, they tend to go after really nasty people, and get them to expose themselves by stealing their ‘hearts’.” _

“Like literally rip out or…” Delsin found a perch to sit and listen to Maise.

“ _ No! No. It’s metaphorical, the people end up admitting to their shitty behaviour and usually plead guilty and crap. Not actually ripping out their hearts. That’d be bad.”  _

_ “ _ That’s uh cool?”

“ _ I know right!? It’s why I have their logo as a poster, it’s supposed to be a reminder that not everything is always as it seems and don’t be a dick.“ _

“Think you can tell Reggie to stop being dick and stop pouting for a second?” He asked and she laughed and he heard her distantly shout. “ _ Hey didja hear that! Stop pouting and help your brother!” _

“ _ Seriously!?” _ was the very faint reply.

Delsin laughed so hard he had to clutch at his sides. He eventually calmed down, he waved as he saw a streak of Neon pass him and then had an idea. 

_ “ _ Actually? Hey? Mind if we put something on Reggie’s tab for a conduit size meal? I’ll bring a friend over.”

“ _ Sure thing!” _

Maybe Fetch was hungry.


	2. Traveler's crumble

Delsin hissed as he pulled his vest off and looked at the massive hole ripped in the front. “Aw man Reg’s gonna kill me.” He whined poking his finger through the hole. A DUP agent had gotten too close and instead of stabbing Delsin with the sharp slice of concrete, he’d gotten Delsin’s vest.

“Hey! Are you okay?” A voice shouted down the alley and Delsin jumped, “Who’s asking?” His arms smoked in warning. Most people had gotten the point when he did that they’d back off. It was a person in an EMT jacket, their bag at their hip and they kept coming at him. They slowed and held up their hands with a grin. “I saw you fight off those DUPs, so those people could escape. You hurt?” 

Delsin squinted at them; they were taller than he was with streaked pale blond hair shorn at the sides.“Who’s asking?” he asked again, pulling the vest closer to his chest.

“Name’s Nonna, You’re Delsin right?.” they shoved their hands into their pockets stopping a good distance from him. 

“Yeah I'm fine.” he said, watching them closely. 

Nonna clearly didn’t believe him, “Clearly… let me look at it. Reg never said his kid brother would be in town.” They gestured to the vest in his hands.

“How do you know him?” Delsin asked, not handing it over.

“High school.” they explained with a shrug.

Nonna made a grabbing motion for the jacket. Delsin held it out, they looked at the hole and tucked it under one arm retrieving a sewing kit from a side pocket of their bag. He watched them thread the needle and begin to sew with a surgeon's precision. Delsin stopped talking so they could focus on the work. It was weird letting a mostly total stranger fix his vest. 

“You know he used to fight bullies and kids who’d pick on others ‘cause of their looks. I mean lookit me, he took the weird albino queer kid and said ‘want to be friends?’”

“I guess..” Delsin offered, he could see it, especially since his brother was Sheriff. 

“He still does it; he just doesn’t beat on people for no reason. He’s a lawman, You gotta be better than everyone else because if you aren’t then you’re the asshole. Though he’s always had a bit of a soft spot for you.” They held it out to him and Delsin inspected it. He could barely tell there had been a hole where Nonna had stitched it shut.

“So what do you want with me?” He asked and Nonna looked at him like he was dumb.

“I’m not dumb, people don’t just offer to help out of the goodness of their hearts.” 

Nonna gave him a look. “Like all those people you’ve been helping because you want something from then when you heal them or help them up. Please.” They had a point. Delsin glanced at their bag and had an idea.

“You’re an EMT right?” He asked and Nonna gave him a look. It was the same look Reggie gave him when he stated the obvious.Delsin rolled his eyes in response. “Look sometimes I can’t get to people, you know when I’m being shot at. If I give you a call and a location do you think you can help?”

Nonna nodded “That would be nice, sometimes we get there too late. Thanks kid.” 

Delsin held out his phone for them and they programmed their number in. It was a bit of a relief,yeah he could pick them up and he’d noticed with his powers it healed a little bit. How deep did that go though? The extra eyes couldn’t hurt. 

It helped less than a day later.

“ _ Sure right by the cubes yeah?”  _ They asked, and he heard them repeat the location for their driver. 

“Yeah. I-uh can’t help right now.”

“ _ Are you okay?” _ They immediately sounded concerned and Delsin shook his head before he realized. “N-No but I’m going to meet with Reggie.”

“ _ What happened?” _

“I uh don’t have powers right now. I was supposed to get a new set but it’s not working?” He explained. Akuran’s ran past and he shrank down behind a dumpster. Oh man they were so lucky he didn’t have powers right now. 

He heard them shuffling and a few taps, “ _ First deep breath kid…” _ They waited as he took in one, and then a second. _ “You said you got a new set, do all the powers kick in all at once or do you need more energy?” _

“Uh… I think I need more energy but I can’t even do that right now.” He told them frowning. 

“ _ So I talked with Maise? We’re partners. It's great. And she loves you, cause since you’ve been around she’s been geeking out. I asked her. So maybe you overdid it, or you didn’t get enough of a charge and need a boost? Like a car battery.” _

Delsin thought about it, maybe a core relay would help. He’d have to hope Reggie knew where a couple were. “Maybe?”

“ _ Right then, go find your brother. He just texted me, you got his location?” _

“Yeah I asked to meet him there.” He got up and started walking, he wasn’t far from Reg now.

“ _ Go find your brother. We got your back.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nonna goes by They/Them and is non-binary.


	3. Octavia's Tuna-less Melt

Delsin slipped into the office of one Julie Sims with Eugene at his side. The younger conduit had found something he’d wanted to check out before they broke apart for the day. “You’re sure?” Delsin asked and Eugene fidgeted with his threadbare sweater.

“My mom always said my brother had died, but after talking with some of my old raiding buddies sometimes people do that when you transition?” He wrapped his arms around himself and Delsin laid his arm across the younger conduit’s shoulders in sympathy. “Your mom sucks.”

“I know.” Eugene sounded so dejected and Delsin could only give a half hug in response.

“It’s cool dude. If she hates you we bounce, and you don’t have to worry about it ever again.” Delsin patted Eugene’s shoulder. He didn’t think that would be the case, Julie was pretty great the few times he’d met her.

Eugene gave Delsin a small smile as they walked into the therapist’s office and she looked up and squinted at him, her glasses perched on her head. “Ah! Delsin, finally taking Nick’s suggestion?” She beamed and Delsin explained for Eugene. 

“I have a friend out in Salmon bay, she’s his therapist. So I’ve met her, she also missed a pretty uh interesting akomish days.” He teased and Julie shook her head.

“I was on my way, and well, you know what happened. I’m glad you’re back on your feet. Literally, you were comatose last I saw you and your brother was worrying himself into an early grave.” She pulled her glasses down to see him better. They always had the hilarious effect of magnifying her eyes and making her look like a nerd rather than a therapist. Nick liked her alot especially since she made the trip out to Salmon bay for him and not the other way around.

“So who do we have here, if you aren’t here for a session.” Julie asked and Delsin nudged Eugene forward. “M-My name is Eugene sims.” Eugene’s shoulders slowly rose to his ears and Delsin gently guided them down. 

“...as in the Senator’s son?” she asked standing up, Eugene shrank back against Delsin. 

Delsin nudged him forward. “Remember hellfire on their asses?” He grinned and Eugene took a deep breath to settle himself, recovering some of the confidence from earlier. Julie came around the desk and held out her hand, letting Eugene initiate the contact.

“Hi, I’m your older sister. It’s so very nice to finally meet you.” 

Delsin backed out of the room quickly after that, this was a little too personal for him. 

He closed the door and turned to the waiting room and saw his brother chatting with the receptionist. Reggie waved and he walked over. 

“How come you’re here?” Delsin asked and Reggie gestured at the door. “Julie and I were friends in high school. I was in the area and so I figured I’d say hi.”

Delsin crossed his arms, “How come I’m meeting all your friends now?”

Reggie gave Delsin a confused look. “You complained about wanting to meet all my friends.” 

Delsin opened his mouth and then closed it. “Wait seriously? You heard that?” His brother nodded “honestly I mentioned it to Julie and she said to bring you by. She also suggested I introduce you to Maise and I regret it so much.”

Delsin grinned, he and Maise had been trading memes back and forth for a few days now. They even teamed up on Reggie, sometimes one person sending a line from a song and the other sending the next until Reggie texted both of them to stop. It was so nice to have someone who liked bugging his brother as much as he did.

“Yeah because of that.” Reggie sighed “Well if Julie is busy I’m heading out.”

“You want to get lunch?” Delsin followed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short chapter and I'm aware it's more Eugene related than Reggie, but the boy needs family that loves him. Also an excuse for Reggie to try an reconnect with his friends.


	4. Sif's Cookie Knife

He hadn’t planned on going into the burning building, but then he’d heard kids and Fetch could tease Delsin all she wanted. Maybe Reggie was rubbing off on him. 

He dashed through the building taking as much smoke and heat into himself as he could. He could hear the kids now, they were crying with something that was yowling with them. He hissed as he grabbed the handle of the door, heat shot through his hand. It healed instantly with how much smoke he’d taken into his body but it still hurt.

Now he knew why they hadn’t left. 

He was about to dash through when a hand touched his shoulder. He turned to see a firefighter in all their gear behind him. 

“There are people in there!” he shouted over the roar of the inferno. The firefighter’s head swiveled towards the door and then they stepped back and nodded. 

Delsin gathered himself and then dashed through the cracks of the door. Inside the room was a pair of kids, no older than ten; clutching at a cat. They shrieked as they saw him and he turned and pulled all he had into a smoke blast throwing the door off its hinges. The firefighter slid into the room behind him and grabbed the cat passing it to him before they hoisted the two kids under her arms and they both ran out of the building.

Moments after he’d cleared it the building began to collapse. Other firefighters took the cat from him, ushering him away. Delsin wanted to turn around and continue to help. 

A hand tapped him gently on the shoulder and he recognized the badge of the fire fighter he’d met. Her facemask was off and she looked none the worse for wear. Her eyes stood out against the dirt and soot across her face and she gestured to the burning building. 

“Thanks for the help back there Rowe.” She told him, and her eyes narrowed as his arms literally smoked. He felt fuzzy and she led him away from the rest of the firefighters. He looked back at the building, a feeling of pressure rising in his throat. 

Delsin opened his mouth and he saw a stern look from her “None of that nonsense. I know what you Rowes are all about, ‘I should have done more’ blah blah blah, you saved three lives today. You did more than most could, let alone would. They would have died if you hadn’t been there because I couldn’t hear shit over the fire.” 

“Thanks?” he finally offered. She nodded and then made a motion “You should get going, and if anyone asks, no one saw you. Shoo.” 

He nodded and used the nearby vent to slip onto the rooftops, he took one last look towards the building and the firefighters.He saw the one he’d talked to pull their gear back together and help join the fight. He left, trailing smoke.

Later when Delsin had exhausted himself for the day, he was sprawled out on one of the beds in Reggie’s motel room while his brother worked on something on a borrowed laptop. (He could tell it was borrowed because it had so many sparkly stickers on the back. Including one of a donut with angry eyes and a gun. He had a feeling that one was specifically for his brother.)

“How’d she know my name?” He asked sitting up on the bed. 

It was a testament to how often he did something like this that Reggie didn’t look up from his work. “Who?”

Delsin made a face, “The firefighter. Like I know people know my first name and all. But she called me Rowe and said something about us being similar.”

That got Reggie’s attention, he looked up frowning, “Wait; tall, long dark hair, bright eyes, kinda pretty and with a reckless attitude that matches yours?” He asked and Delsin squinted at his brother.

“I mean I guess she was pretty?” Delsin ventured.

“You still think I’m pretty?” A voice sounded from the open window and the firefighter from earlier waved. Delsin saw Reggie’s face go bright red. “You’re totally blushing!” He crowed and Reggie grabbed the pillow from behind his back and tossed it at Delsin’s face. Delsin rocked back with the impact laughing.

“He totally thinks you’re pretty.” Delsin told the firefighter who brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

“Thanks, Uh I also wanted to thank you actually. For earlier. We wouldn’t have known there was anyone inside if you hadn’t shown up. So uh, Thank you. From the fire department.” 

“Uh you’re welcome?” Delsin offered and she laughed nervously brushing the same strand of hair behind her ear. 

“Kara.”

“Delsin! And you know Reggie.” he waved towards his blushing brother.

“I know, it’s good to  _ finally _ meet you. It only took… ten plus years? He used to never shut up about you. But that was then.” She rolled her eyes and straightened, she hesitated a moment and then shook her head. “Anyways that’s all. See you boys around.” 

She left and Reggie scrambled to get up.”Wait Kara!” 

Delsin went to follow and Reggie closed the door on his brother’s face. Delsin stared affronted , instead he peeked out the window and waited till his brother was far enough for him to sneak out after them. Like hell he was missing this! He picked a spot behind someone else’s car.

“Hey, look uh.” Reggie started and Kara stopped next to a bike, she grabbed her helmet pointedly. “I’m sorry!” his brother blurted out and Kara stopped.

“I’m sorry- I’ve been a shitty friend, I made a decision for you, I took out my pain on you. And I’m sorry. I miss being friends. That’s it, uh.” Reggie rubbed the back of his neck, Delsin covered his mouth from his hiding spot.

There was a beat of silence and then.

“Yeah... I’d like that. Friends this time, no fake dating.” Kara smiled and Delsin fist pumped, he didn’t know why he was so pumped about this. 

“Yeah, of course, if there’s dates they’ll be real this time.” Delsin gaped at his brother’s response, silently from his hiding spot. More silence followed that statement.

“IF that happens... I-I’d like that.”

Delsin celebrated from his hiding spot and he heard a sigh, “you can come out now.” Kara told him and he jumped out of his hiding spot with a whoop. He noticed both Kara and Reggie glance just over his shoulder for a second before they sighed and rubbed the back of their neck. Reggie looked resigned and Kara looked amused, both with a blush across their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought it was weird I never saw any firefighters in the game, you see police! Why not firefighters and EMT's? Also Kara and Nonna are the reason this has a mature rating they swear a lot.
> 
> Also ALSO I know there's some shippy kind of vibes between Reggie and Kara, this fic is Gen so there's no actual ship. BUT I am possibly interested in writing out the history I have in my head about this AU. Eventually. Maybe, depends on interest.


	5. Harrowing Macaroni

Delsin roamed, he had no idea how to deal with the problem of getting into the tower. The outside was covered in electrified wire and concrete. He could handle the concrete, eventually. However unless he got an electricity power he was out of luck.

He nabbed some video to jump through a screen and when he emerged from being a signal he stopped and had to rub his eyes at the change in the scenery. Seattle’s skies had been blue now were a deep red. Cameras with wings flew around scanning the ground, Delsin peeked over the edge of the building, seattle’s residents had turned into shadow people, heads hung under heavy collars. The buildings were the same except the huge skyscraper he’d been trying to figure his way into had turned into an even bigger penitentiary with guards patrolling the edges of the walls. He gaped at the sudden change in scenery, what the fuck?

“Halt! Conduit!” He heard and Delsin turned; energy building in his palms two literally faceless DUP officers ran at him. He sent a wave of energy at them and they staggered back, and then they began to shake.

Oh no.

They literally melted until they looked like some mixture of animal and ink and Delsin panicked.

He shouted and glitch dashed back, and then up over the next building. Those  _ things _ followed him and he shot a trio of swords at them, it barely phased them. One lept to the side to avoid the swords, the other leapt forward taking one sword to the chest in a sickening squelching sound.

“Oh no.”

‘Fuck off!” a voice shouted and Delsin didn’t register who’d said it until a bat crunched into the monster’s face. Delsin grabbed smoke from the closest stack and blasted it further towards the second monster. The bat’s owner whooped and slammed his bat into the thing again, a trail of dark energy coming from it as he slammed into the creature again.

Delsin felt wind pass him as a woman dashed forward, her hands covered in what looked like gold claws, she met the second creature with a snarl and slashed up. A third figure fell from above with a fencing sword.. The two women made short work of the slower monster while the guy finished the first with a well placed gunshot between the eyes.

Delsin got a good look at his rescuers, Reggie! Only he just… He looked younger, thinner. His hair was longer and held back by a low ponytail, and he was wearing a weird dark denim vest, his plaid shirt tied at the waist. His jeans were ripped and tucked into knee high boots that had heavy armored plates. He also wore a mask around his eyes that looked like he belonged in a masquerade with a broken glass pattern coming from one eye. He propped his bat on his shoulder with a grin that was way too free to really be his brother.

His companions also looked like younger versions of Kara and Julie respectively. Kara had a thick leather jacket that flared out around her wrists, her hands were covered in what looked like intricate claws and thin chains that connected at the wrists, she also had heavy padded boots but her mask looked like a stylized wolf. Her hair was pulled up into an intricate braided style on one side and the rest pushed over to the other.

Julie looked so thin as a younger woman,She wore a black bodysuit that went only to her thighs pink tights tucked into the high heels she wore.She had a lace shawl that was pushed back on one shoulder and bright pink makeup. Her mask was lace covering her eyes and into her hair that was short styled and swept back.

Reggie scanned the area, eyes glancing over Delsin. “I think we’re okay for now. Nonna and Maise should be at the TV by now. We need to get going.” 

The other two looked at him and Delsin recognized the same look they gave him as the ones his deputies gave Reggie. He was in charge here, whether Delsin liked it or not.

“Wait! You know what’s going on here?” He asked and Reggie looked startled, like he shouldn’t have been able to talk. “Yes?”

“Mind filling your brother in?”

The three in front of him looked confused before Julie covered her mouth with a cough, “I’m sorry but Reggie’s brother is like 8. Right?”

“Yeah he is.” Reggie agreed, a dark look of concern crossed his face.

“Dad named you before Mom could tell him not to, also the nurse vetoed Destructo which was his first choice. Reginald.” Delsin deadpanned. It was one of those facts that they’d agreed during one of the rare moments when they used to watch movies with doppelgangers. When he was younger they used to come up with plans like that. He had never thought it would come into play.

Reggie opened his mouth, then closed it. “That’s Delsin just… Del you look uh Old?”

“You look young!” Delsin retorted and Reggie laughed. “Then we should get off the roof, and get somewhere else. I don’t want more shadows interrupting.”

“You mean you don’t want to babysit.” Kara rolled her eyes, but Delsin followed as they clambered down the side of the building and led the way. They were only a few blocks away before they turned into an alleyway and Reggie opened the door to a tattoo parlor. They filed in and Delsin had to blink as the world just… shifted vaguely before settling, like a wave of heat in the distance. It cleared and Delsin had more questions.

“Yeah that happens” Reggie patted Delsin’s arm before he flopped into a waiting room chair. The other two grabbed spots inside the parlor and relaxed.

“So you’re old?” Reggie asked propping his chin in one hand. Delsin made a face “I’m only 22!” he defended and all three teenagers gave him a look like he was crazy. 

“We’re like 18 man. That means you’re from the future!” Reggie grinned and Delsin was overwhelmed by questions from everyone. He held up his hands and began to wonder if this was how Reggie felt. (Older Reggie, not this weird young version, god now  _ he _ felt old.)

“I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine.” he offered and Reggie nodded, “Sure what do you want to know?”

“Uh let’s see, those freaking monsters, the sky, the fortress in the middle of the city that wasn’t there five minutes ago. Your Clothes!? Like what the hell, you didn’t tell me you used to look cool!?” Delsin gestured to Reggie who tugged on his vest collar. 

“You think I’m cool?” Reggie asked and Kara made a disgusted noise from where she’d perched on the front desk. “You are cool ass- ow!” the younger version of the firefighter fell to the floor as Julie shoved her off the desk.

“Well,” Reggie began. He explained about phantom thieves- and that he was one- palaces, shadows, and their persona’s. He explained it all and Delsin had to wonder, what happened? His brother had gone from this very free spirit to the hardened older man he thought he’d known. This week had been very eye opening when it came to Reggie Rowe. 

“Ok your turn! You’re from the future right!? Tell us about it!” Reggie pushed the mask off his face to interrogate his brother. “What’s with the smoke!? And those sword things?” Reggie pushed on, clearly he hadn’t been patient at 18. 

“Uh I have superpowers?”

He got the three teenagers shouting with that. They gathered around like kids in a candy store as he explained as vaguely as he could what was going on.He did explain he was a conduit, why he could have more than one set of powers, he didn’t name her but he mentioned Augustine and what was happening. He just kept dates and specifics out of it as much as he could. 

“C’mon Delsin you gotta give us more than ‘Sooner than you think’.” Reggie whined and Delsin gave him a shrug.

“M-Maybe he doesn’t want to give too much away, it’s like when you get spoiled for a movie you wanted to watch and it makes it worse cause then you know what’ll happen?” Julie offered. 

“She’s got a point,” Kara offered poking Reggie in the side. 

“Yeah well I don’t want to end up like, a stick in the mud or a bad adult.” Reggie’s nose wrinkled at the thought. 

“You’re a stick in the mud adult, but a cool one.” Delsin told him, patting his brother on the head. 

“That sounds lame, what if we did something to remind me to chill! Permanent in case I forget then I always have the reminder. Like a note or..” He glanced at the room and a wicked grin split his face, looking down at Delsin’s arm. “A tattoo?” 

“You want a tattoo?” Delsin squinted at his brother and Reggie shrugged in response.

“I mean you’re an artist. I don’t mind having your art being the reminder. Also mom and Dad would freak and I’m so down for that.”

Delsin thought about it.

Hours later he and the phantom thieves left the tattoo parlor, they led him towards where they came in. It was almost too quiet moving through the metaverse version of the streets of Seattle. It wasn’t until they were almost to their destination that Kara was tackled as she turned a corner. 

Delsin dashed forward smoke collecting in his palms to shove the thing off Kara. He turned and another shadow charged forward towards them. They four of them fought the surge in shadow’s like madmen and women. He pushed a shadow towards Julie’s sword with a blast of smoke, dashed through another to go up in the air and slam into another. He spun a ball of smoke in his hands, he saw the shadow before the other Rowe did, it jumped at his brother’s back.

“Harrow. Null star.”

Delsin spun to see the older version of his brother looking furious. Delsin blinked, his older brother’s Persona was very different from the ever shifting version his younger counterpart had. It looked like a priest with heavy living metal armor, in a dark galaxy of colour twisted around it’s frame.

Harrow pulled its hands together: a small orb of dark energy in its hands. It clap them together and an aura appeared on everyone.

The shadow landed on his brother’s younger self but the aura around the phantom thief drank in the attack. Younger Reggie shoved it off and Delsin watched as the older Reggie lifted his gun and began to fire with a single minded precision. When the aura faded it fell off in streaks of light that tracked and tore through their opponents.

There was a break in the fight and the older Rowe gestured towards a screen.

“Go!” He shouted at the younger versions, who ran past them and through it. Delsin went to follow when his brother grabbed his arm and shook his head. He held up his phone, a bright red app on the screen. He pressed the button. 

The world shifted violently and they were in an alley, not too far from Reggie’s hotel. Everything was normal again. He let go and saluted with the phone before putting it away. “It got easier as I got older, and technology got better.” he offered as if it answered everything. 

“Why didn’t you tell me about the phantom thief stuff?” Delsin asked and Reggie looked guilty, he rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn’t wearing many of his layers, just a shirt and jeans. Delsin got a peek of the tattoo he’d just put on the younger version. He stared and Reggie rubbed the arm it was on.

“We discovered someone was using the metaverse to change people into what HE thought the world should be like. After stopping him and over time it just got too easy to think ‘well i can change your mind’ without stopping to think about whether or not we should. You just have to whisper enough at a person and sometimes you don’t even have to steal anything to change them. I worried we weren’t being careful enough.” Reggie sighed and looked up his eyes distant.

“Then I got hurt, mom and dad died, and they had debts and I had student loans and I was told because of my injury I lost all my scholarships. I was hurting, and angry and because of that the only good thing I had going for me was you. So I left Seattle, got a job in Salmon bay and just- I couldn't have two lives. The only thing I regret is how I tried to cut off contact even though they never really did. I’ve done a lot of apologizing this week. I owe you one too.”

Delsin listened and then hugged his brother. After a second he felt his brother hug back. They broke apart after a long moment.

“So are you gonna stop being such a stick in the mud?” Delsin asked trying to lighten the mood and Reggie’s nose scrunched and Delsin covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing. He’d seen that too many times today.

“No but… I can be less of one. Look I- I’ve been an ass. You’ve been trying this whole time to help people. Not ‘bio-terrorists’ not ‘conduits’ People. I’m Sorry. I’m going to try to be more understanding from now on.“

“Thanks Reg.”

“No problem Del, now how about we stop being saps and do something productive.”

Delsin nodded and they walked out of the alley. Which actually- “Wait how’d you know I was in the metaverse?”

“I was going to Maise and Nonna’s... through the metaverse.” he admitted and Delsin mock gasped. 

They’d be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harrow looks like Harrow from the game Warframe. This is where we turn left at cannon-land and into AU territory. Moreso than the rest of this fic.


	6. Out of the frying pan

They were not okay.

Delsin frowned as he saw Kara’s number light up his phone. He’d left Reggie to make his way to Eugene's; they were going to get all of their friends together for a meeting at Maise’s to try and figure out what to do.

“Sup?”

“ _ You near a TV?” _

“After Eugene I try to be why?” He asked finishing the last touches on his art. “ _ News reported an explosion at the tower, then immediately pulled it. Can you see what’s going on?“ _

Delsin nodded heading towards the tower. He watched two helicopters fly away from the tower with a frown. “You’re right, they’re scrambling, but no one’s firing.”

“ _ And now they’re ordering all emergency services away from the waterfront. There’s gotta be something they don’t want anyone to see. Argh this is so frustrating, I want to see what’s going on.” _

“Hope they don’t mind if I take a look.” Delsin pulled some video for a dash, it was faster than smoke. 

“ _ They’ve been really heavy on the ground. Stick to the rooftops.” _ She ordered over the phone and Delsin rolled his eyes. He could see why she and Reggie got along so well. 

“You worry too much.” He dashed into the satellite dish for a boost as he heard her mutter. 

“ _ Reggie would say I don’t worry enough.”  _ He could hear her roll her eyes. “Yeah cause he’s a stick in the mud.” Delsin retorted fondly.

He flew silently from there, heading towards the worst of the commotion. He landed in the alleyway and whistled at the scene. “Hey, there’s scorch marks everywhere. Looks like my handiwork. “

“ _ So there’s someone else with smoke powers.” _ He heard Maise in the background, Reggie must have been on his way for them to all be on the line.” _ It’s not unheard of. Just due to sheer population multiple conduits for the same powers would exist...” _ Maise’s voice dropped away as someone ushered her away from the phone.

“Yeah, still I think I was hoping for you know something new? Wait You’re at Maise’s?”

“ _ Yeah Reggie called a meeting, said he’d had an idea. Used Sif to get over here quick. Show us what you mean by handiwork?”  _ Kara explained.

Delsin walked around snapping photos and sending them to Kara. He could hear her frown over the phone. “ _ That’s not at all your handiwork.” _ He heard Nonna and a brief tussle for the phone. 

“What do you mean?” He asked sending a few more photo’s, keeping distance from the worst of the wounds. It was kind of disturbing to see the aftermath. He usually was on the run and never stopped to see what kind of mark he left behind. If this is what he left behind-

“ _ You make a point to leave people alive.The buildings and shit yeah, that’s usually a mess, but the people? You don’t leave corpses. ” _ Nonna commented, there was another tussle and a “ _ It’s on speaker and the loudest it goes!”  _ in the background he couldn’t figure out which of Reggie’s friends it was.

He heard sirens and groaned as the DUP showed up. He knocked them out, pinning them with swords before he heard something start to screech.“ _ Situation team respond, Situation team RESPOND.” _

“ _ That’s a DUP helmet.”  _ Kara took over the phone.

“How do you know?” Delsin asked and he heard her mumble something about good hearing as he picked up the helmet and lifted it to his ear to hear clearly.

“Situation team respond, We’ve acquired ‘Daughtry’, East of your 40-” Delsin dropped the helmet like it had scorched him. 

“Kara his conduit man… They say it’s Hank!?” 

“ _ Who’s Hank?” _

Delsin had to mentally scold himself. Kara obviously wouldn’t know. “He’s who I got my smoke powers from, back in Salmon bay before all this. Before we realized I was a power sponge. And I saw her kill him! I- I mean I thought she did… No. I saw her kill him. He’s dead I’m sure of it.” Delsin nodded as if that was final, winding and rewinding the chain on his wrist. If he was so sure then why was he uneasy.

He heard sympathy in Kara’s voice as she asked “ _ Keep looking? Maybe there’s more to this story.” _

Delsin’s heart sank as more DUP showed up, interrupting him and he fought back. Stopping off to the side for a breather he saw some papers and went pale.

“Okay, I’m gonna admit it… I was wrong. Here.” He sent it to Kara. His phone rang again as he glitched back up and over the edge of a building. He needed some space from the scene. His phone went off again and without thinking he answered.

“ _ Hey Delsin, you gotta call a girl when you go rampaging downtown! _ ” Fetch scolded to Delsin’s surprise. 

“Uhhh that’s not me.” he flew up and over another building heading higher to get a good look. 

“ _ Well I got a great view of someone smoking the hell out of some DUP choppers.” _

_ “ _ You can see them? Where are you?”

Delsin ran, heading for Fetch’s location. His afternoon went like this; he chased the DUP helicopters, then their soldiers as they chased Hank. Then he chased Hank trying to get the man to help him. Then he had to get chased by the DUP trying to kick his ass for kicking their ass. Then of course Hank called and that was a disaster of a call as Delsin’s anger got the better of him. 

It wasn’t until much later while his head pounded from Hank’s sucker punch and he was outside the cafe when his phone rang again. This time it was an unlisted number. 

Delsin felt his chest clench when he heard Hank on the line.“ _ Well you them two kids that was on the armored bus with me?” _

_ “ _ Fetch and Eugene?”

“ _ I guess, Anyways, DUP got them and the cop.” _

White hot panic shot through his system. He didn’t notice the door to the cafe opening, he didn’t notice his brother’s friends come outside. Just like he didn’t notice them steer him off the street and into a chair.

He finally felt like he could breathe again when the phone was plucked out of his hands, startling him he looked up at Kara who put it on speaker. 

“They have Delsin’s friends and Reggie?” She asked.

“ _ Look lady I don’t know who you think you are, that’s private informa-” _

“Fuck you he’s right here. So tell me what your plan is and I’ll make sure Delsin gets there.” She snarled at the phone and Delsin shrank back.

“ _ So I figure he an’ I go in all smoke like, break the place and take the fight to her. They even got one of those core thingies so he can bring a new trick. Between me, ‘im and the others we’ll send that bitch packing with her tail between her legs.” _ Hank explained. “ _ But not now, there’s too much heat. Tonight at sunset.” _

“Sunset is in seven hours.” Nonna hummed from their spot on a table. Maise flipped the sign to closed, clearly the phantom thieves were on the same wavelength.

“Right see you then.” Kara hung up on Hank.

“I gotta go.” Delsin stood. 

“Uh like hell you are.” Kara grabbed his arm. He smoked, and she scowled at him.

“Wait… Delsin, didn’t you say you thought she’d killed him? When was that?” Julie asked, interrupting and Delsin had to think. “Back before we came to Seattle.” He reached up to adjust his beanie.

“Before or after your mini coma?” she asked and he gave her a look. “I helped your brother arrange to get doctors to the Akomish.I was there, I saw you snoozing with concrete in your legs.” She explained and Delsin glanced at Kara, who let him go.

“Uh…. Before. I’d just gotten my powers.” He frowned trying to puzzle what she was getting at. 

Maise frowned, “when did you first get in touch with a core relay?” clearly on the same line of thought as Julie.

“On the way to Seattle.” 

That’s when it hit him at the same moment the others saw what was wrong. “How would hank know?” Delsin sat back down hard. “I told Fetch and Eugene but I never told Hank about it. And if he just got out he wouldn’t have seen me get powers from them. There’s no way-”

“T.R.A.P Trap.” Nonna interjected.

“So what do I do? I go- I could get taken? I stay and they all get carted off to Curdan Cay '' The phantom thieves looked at each other and then Delsin. 

“How do you feel about sending a message?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up!


	7. Into the fire

Reggie looked up when Augustine finally joined them on the precarious ledge He and Fetch and Eugene had been left on. She checked on them occasionally, she’d learned her lesson when he’d managed to annoy at least three different guards. He was channeling his inner Delsin, mostly to try and keep the other two Conduit’s spirits up. He had to trust Delsin would be smart about this.

He looked over at the city and frowned. “The hell?” he squinted and she looked up and glanced in his direction as one of her subordinates ran up. “M’am you need to check line three and this.” He handed her a piece of red paper and Reggie recognized the image on the Building across the street, and on the paper. 

She tucked the paper under her tablet and pulled up the video being played on the screen. The same thing was being projected on several buildings across the water. 

“ _ What is good? People of Seattle!” _ Several figures lit up from the back so you couldn’t see more than silhouettes appeared in the image behind them the same as the banner Delsin had first painted on his trip to the Space needle. The voice was layered with so many effects you couldn’t tell the actual person behind it.

“ _ We are the Phantom Thieves. _

_ It has come to our attention that the dictator known as Augustine arrived in our city three weeks ago. She has beaten and abused you, she has wrongfully detained you. Her people have only caused pain and strife for the good citizens of Seattle. _

_ Who saved you from the murders?  _

_ Who saved you from being kidnapped by the Akurans? _

_ Not Augustine. Isn’t that right?” _

The middle figure stepped forward and smoke filtered off their arms. While Reggie mentally cheered, he heard Fetch and Eugene cheer behind him.

“ _ That’s right.” _ Delsin’s voice was clear. Even if his face was still obscured. 

_ “I’m the one protecting society from her and her army of freaks. I’m the one saving the innocent and sparing her horde of killers.”  _

“ _ Seattle you know who we are and what we do, but we need your help to do it. Stand up for yourselves and fight! We’re behind you. _

_ And Augustine we’re coming for you.”  _ the thieves finished.

The image changed to the twin birds and the mask. Then the recording repeated. 

Augustine scowled and pulled out the paper message. It read in block letters: 

_ To you who would create chaos and destruction just to keep your twisted morals.  _

_ To you who would hurt innocent people and leave them to die, You who would terrorize and destroy.  _

_ We will be taking your heart. Signed The Phantom Thieves. _

Augustine turned to her captives then to her Sergeant. “Where is this being broadcast from?” 

“T-the conference hall’s systems. It’s not hacked! We checked, Ma’am. But it’s being broadcast by our systems.” He reported with a flinch. Clearly Augustine didn't take unknowns kindly.  


Augustine turned to the captives, she gestured and they were all hauled to their feet. “Bring them with us, I don’t want this to be a two pronged attack.” she snapped the order.

“What scared by a couple of boogeymen?” he taunted, unable to stop himself. She glared at him and he was shoved forward without another word.

They were brought to the tower swiftly, led in through a back door. It was a tight hallway and they had to pause to rearrange the guards around them to fit. He tripped as a guard shoved past and he tried to angle himself towards Delsin’s friends. That’s when he felt a familiar hand close around his arm and saw Julie grab the two conduits. There was shouting from the DUP as they tried to shoot the intruders that had appeared out of thin air. They were pulled into the metaverse as chaos erupted around them. 

“Let’s get these two out of here and in the real world.” Reggie turned to Kara, she broke the cuffs on his hands with her claws and then passed him his bat. He turned to the two conduits in their midst and pointed for them to hold out their hands.

“Don’t flinch.” Reggie warned Eugene and brought the bat down on the concrete on their hands keeping them from using their powers, he did the same for Fetch. 

They split from there, getting Fetch and Eugene outside to find Core relays in case Delsin needed the boost. The thieves ran deeper into the metaverse version of the tower. They burst into the conference hall, and Reggie joined the fray against Augustine's shadow. 

Every once in a while he would get a glance into the real world, Delsin fighting Augustine and the thieves fighting against her Shadow would occasionally overlap. Nonna and Maise went low as Kara and Reggie went high. They knocked the Shadow over as Delsin called down an army of angels using his copy of Eugene’s power on Augustine knocking her to the ground.

In the moment of calm Reggie saw his brother stand over her. On the ground Augustine held out her hand. “Okay, okay… you want my power?”

Delsin grabbed her hand and pulled “ _ You got it.”  _ she snarled.

They watched as the Warden split into what looked like an ink painting of itself. For the first time he saw what Delsin did when he used his powers. Her story played out in the paintings. Her choice, and why she was doing this, why she chose to manufacture an emergency to bring the DUP back to power.

The thieves gathered around watching, he felt Kara’s hand slip into his. He squeezed her hand in response. They had to scatter as the monster of concrete in both worlds formed, the moment faded when he locked eyes with his brother and the fight began anew.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the second reason I wrote this whole fic


	8. The End

When Augustine fell, she told the world what she’d done, taken down by a small town delinquent, a Junkie and a Gamer. Delsin was lauded as the guy kicking off a second age, for showing that conduits and people could actually live in peace, mostly. The media reported it was all Delsin, though local news stations mentioned a couple of images that had appeared before Augustine had lost. 

A star shaped bird with two heads, with a masquerade mask. 

“Well I’m glad your brother had a change of heart.” Betty smiled up at Delsin who started “Please I used to watch them try and sneak in and out of Harold’s shop to use the TV. I’m glad he’s following his heart again. Just as I’m glad you’ve become the hero we both knew you could become.”

He laughed as he followed her outside, it had been a week since he’d pulled the concrete out of his tribe. Reggie had gone to go retrieve his truck and would be home any time soon. Who knew that leaving a police truck with all its lights on would kill the battery.

The roar of an engine cutting out as a bike with two figures parked, he recognized them both. Reggie peeled himself off the bike and laid on the ground. “Sweet sweet ground, I never want to leave you again.” Delsin watched a tow truck pass by the Longhouse headed into Salmon bay, his brother’s truck on the back.

Kara was laughing as she pulled off her helmet. “You need more excitement in your life.” 

“Nope. I think I can retire. I’m done, you and Delsin can handle it.” Reggie groaned, waving at her from his space on the ground. 

“Yeah yeah old man.” She teased and Delsin laughed, “So is all good with the truck?”

“Well the battery is so dead a jumpstart kit didn’t work. It’s going to a mechanic for now.” Reggie answered from the ground. Kara nodded along and then stretched her arms over her head. “So yeah. Do you need a ride back to your house?” She asked the man still on the ground. 

Reggie held his hand up, “I guess.” He sighed as Delsin grabbed his hand.

He pulled his brother up, missing the feeling of a different kind of pull as he did. He’d just gotten Reggie on his feet with both brothers looking down at their joined hands. The feeling hit them at the same time as both of them realized too late. 

Delsin’s power activated and their world went dark as Betty and Kara shouted- they realized what was happening a little too late.  


Tomorrow would be an adventure indeed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the fic! I have more backstory for the whole thing but I wanted to keep this thing from getting monstrously long. Maybe I'll throw the prequel up with more information about the character's I built and what I was picking and choosing from both universes to make this AU. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> The AU where I make an entire army of OC's and throw together my current two favourite universes, Infamous Second son and Persona.(Maise is pronounced like Daisy but with an M)


End file.
